Archive Website of the UK government

How to find out about new developments

The council will also put a notice in the local newspaper to let you know about large developments

Information from your local council

If a development needs planning permission, the planning department at your local council (local planning authority) will make the proposals public. Usually new buildings or major building works at someone’s house (for example a wind turbine) need planning permission.

The council will post notices near the building site and/or write letters to those living near the site to ask people if they agree with the plans. This is called a ‘public consultation’ and no planning permission can be given without it.

If it’s a large development, for example a school or a supermarket, the council will also put a notice in the local newspaper.

Smaller building works like most extensions often don’t need planning permission. They won’t be made public and you can’t comment on the plans.

• Find out about planning developments Opens new window

• Do you need planning permission?

Information from builders and architects

If your neighbour is planning a new development, the builder or architect might speak to you about it. They will want to find out if you have any concerns. If you do, you should try and solve them together.

Find out about planning online

Local Planning Authorities are responsible for making decisions around planning.

Often, your Local Planning Authority will be your local council. You can search your council's website for planning applications it is responsible for.

In some instances (for example, if you live in a National Park), your Local Planning Authority won't be your council. You can find out who your Local Planning Authority is and how to contact them on the Planning Portal.

• Search the register of planning decisions on your council website Opens new window

• Find your Local Planning Authority: Planning Portal Opens new window

How to comment on new developments

Once a new development has been made public, you can also look at any plans at the council offices.

If you don’t agree with something in the plans, you can comment in writing to the local planning authority.

The local planning authority will set deadlines for looking at the plans and making comments. You will find the deadline in the public notices or the letter sent to you. If you miss the deadline, your comments might not be taken into account.

You can also go to council meetings about the development you want to comment on. You are allowed to speak in these meetings but you cannot vote on the planning application.

If you don’t agree with a planning decision

Once the local planning authority has given planning permission for a new development, you can’t change the permission. For example, if your neighbour was given permission to put up a wind turbine, you can’t appeal against it.

You can only complain if there was an error with the way the application was handled by the council. You would need to complain to the local government ombudsman. This is an independent government organisation that handles complaints about local councils.

If you disagree with the ombudsman’s decision, you can only take things further through the High Court. To be successful, you would have to show that the ombudsman got the law wrong.

If you are the planning applicant, the ombudsman will not usually look at your complaint because you have a right of appeal to the Secretary of State, through the Planning Inspectorate.

• Local Government Ombudsman Opens new window

• Learn about making a planning appeal Opens new window

Report a planning breach

If you think a development is not following planning rules, you can contact your local planning authority. For example, if the building doesn’t have planning permission or doesn’t follow the conditions set out in the planning permission. This is called a ‘planning breach’.

The council can stop the development while it considers what to do by issuing an ‘enforcement notice’. The council will then decide if they want to:

• ask the developer to correct the problem and then grant planning permission
  
• grant planning permission without any changes to the development
  
• stop the development altogether

• How to make a planning breach complaint Opens new window